The mobile phones continued growth is evident and shows no clear sign of stopping. As at the time of writing, all major phone manufacturers have come launched new models, with either minute or a significant change in operation of the phone. The one thing that remains constant is the need for apps, apps that power the various functions on the phone.
And by God, yes we continue to install them. In a 2016 retrospective by App Annie, users have downloaded over 90 billion apps on the iOS App store and Google play store and they have spent nearly 900 billion hours in Apps. This statistic is of 2016, a simple estimation will give you an idea of what is it today.
In this same report from App Annie, the statistic shows that a smartphone user will access at least 30 apps on a monthly basis and 10 per day, a trend that has gained a name the 30:10 rule .
To asks ourselves some questions.
- Have you ever installed an app only to use for that one particular task ?
- Do you have that one app you think you will one day use, but don’t ?
You might find that if you answer yes, to any of these questions, you probably are among the proponents of the 30:10 rule.
Unless you are careful wil the kind of apps you install, I believe it is time to head into the apps section of your settings menu and get cleaning.
Data
Did you know some apps use data even when you are not using them? This might be the true explanation to the increase in your data usage and not “network provider is stealing my data” explanation. What compounds the data usage issue, is when those apps have to be updated. It might even be more prudent to download afresh this app anytime you need it than to keep it living and eating on your phone.
Space
Then it is the space they take up. The space when it is at rest and the space it takes as it grows. I know it and you do too, these apps are getting bigger by the day and I do not think they are going to stop.
Security
As we keep updating these apps, they keep morphing. What you downloaded yesterday, might not be the same app today. These unused apps can become breeding grounds for a phishing attack waiting to happen.
I hope you have at least learnt something today. Get rid of that app you have been holding on to.